


Vows

by neevebrody



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Character Study, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-12
Updated: 2010-02-12
Packaged: 2017-10-07 05:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neevebrody/pseuds/neevebrody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He knew when he repeated the vows that the words were somehow wrong.  They weren't words he would say—weren't words he meant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vows

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "forever" challenge at McSheplets

It was good to see Nancy again—good to see all of them, really.  

For some reason, he thinks about vows, thinks about the vows he and Nancy took all those years ago.  Normal wedding day jitters aside, he knew it wasn't what he wanted, but trying, as usual, to keep the peace, not to rock the boat and, as usual, failing miserably.

He knew when he repeated the vows that the words were somehow wrong.  They weren't words he would say—weren't words he meant.

He'd tried—tried to give Nancy what she needed.  But that, too, was wrong.  It wasn't something that ever felt right to him.  Eventually, they'd reached an agreement and he'd vowed again—vowed to take care of her, anything she needed, anything she wanted—anything except him—anything except the closeness, the intimacy.  That's when the doors started to close.  Little by little, closing off pieces of himself—to Nancy—to his family.  That's when she'd had enough.

An endless stream of nameless faces, furtive meetings, quick, impersonal sex—until that, too, felt wrong.

Then an assignment, routine really, for his stint at McMurdo anyway—transport a General—no sweat.  Only the mission turned out to be as far from routine as...another galaxy.  Finally, a place he could start over—a place he could belong—a place where true friendships were forged and proven—by fire in most cases.

He turns over and studies the man who shares his bed.  The man who shares that closeness, that intimacy he could never give Nancy—could never give anyone else.  He knows this is right.  No matter what regulations say, no matter what anyone _says_—this is what he's waited for all his life.  One day, soon perhaps, everyone else will know it too.

He feathers his fingertips across Rodney's sleep-soft cheek, watches him twitch and snuffle down into his pillow.

Now the words seem right—they mean something at last.  Words like honor and cherish—words like love and forever.


End file.
